Florida Genealogy

WPA Slave NarrativesSlave narratives are stories of surviving slaves told in their own words and ways. Unique, colorful, and authentic, these slave narratives provide a look at the culture of the South during slavery which heretofore had not been told.

Voter Registration Rolls, 1867-68 These records list individuals who registered to vote in the State of Florida in 1867 and 1868. The lists are unique in that they are the first voter rolls in Florida to systematically include African-Americans. These documents are excellent resources for historians and genealogists seeking a better understanding of Florida during the Reconstruction era. The timing of this registration period falls between federal census years, which means these records may help genealogists locate individuals who moved or died between the 1860 and 1870 censuses. The participation of African-Americans is also significant. For most black Floridians listed in the collection, this is the earliest instance of their inclusion by their full name on an official state document.

The Jefferson County Freedmen’s Contracts This set of freedmen’s contracts contains handwritten agreements between landowners in Jefferson County and laborers, primarily, African-Americans, who agreed to farm the land in exchange for a share of the crop and the means necessary to live and complete their work. Fully digitized and indexed.

1825 Leon County Census This document represents the entire census return for Leon County, Florida, as enumerated by James Cameron in September 1825. Cameron recorded 996 inhabitants in the county, including 608 whites, 387 slaves, and one free person, “of Colour.”

1845 Election Returns Lists of people voting in the 1845 statehood election, sortable by county and precinct. Fully digitized and indexed.

1855 Census Returns: Marion County This collection contains the returns of the 1855 Florida State Census for Marion County. The census takers recorded data for each household in the county, listing the head of household along with the value of land and other property owned by that person. Both free and enslaved members of the household are counted, but are not named individually. They are, however, broken down by age, sex and race. Space is provided on the returns for free blacks, although only one such individual is recorded as having lived in Marion County in 1855. The Marion County returns are the only original returns known to exist for this census.

1885 Florida State Census Schedules of the Census of Florida taken by that state in 1885. All counties then in the state are represented with the exception of Alachua, Clay, Columbia and Nassau. The 1885 Florida State Census is comprised of four schedules – Population, Agriculture, Manufactures and Mortality. Population schedules are available for all counties, but there are no agriculture, manufactures or mortality schedules for some counties. This collection coincides with NARA publication M845.

1935 Florida State Census Population census for the State of Florida for the year 1935. This 1935 Florida State Census is an every-name list of the state’s inhabitants. The census is arranged alphabetically by county and then geographically by election precinct. All counties within the state are represented, although some election precincts are missing. The collection details include an estimated precinct locality that is based on the census precinct number within a county.

1945 Florida State Census Population census for the State of Florida for the year 1945. This 1945 Florida State Census is an every-name list of the state’s inhabitants. The census is arranged alphabetically by county and then geographically by election precinct. All counties within the state are represented, although some election precincts are missing. The records are segregated by race. The collection details include an estimated precinct locality that is based on the census precinct number within a county.

Florida Church Records

WPA Church Records Returns from a historical records survey done by the WPA in the late 1930s-early 1940s. It doesn’t include the actual records of the church, but these digests often do explain who had the church’s records at the time, and they give some basic data about the church’s founding. Fully digitized and indexed.

Florida History

The Florida Photographic Collection 185,000+ historic photographs from all over the state, digitized from the holdings of the State Archives of Florida. Fully digitized and indexed.

Voter Registration Rolls, 1867-68 These records list individuals who registered to vote in the State of Florida in 1867 and 1868. The lists are unique in that they are the first voter rolls in Florida to systematically include African-Americans. These documents are excellent resources for historians and genealogists seeking a better understanding of Florida during the Reconstruction era. The timing of this registration period falls between federal census years, which means these records may help genealogists locate individuals who moved or died between the 1860 and 1870 censuses. The participation of African-Americans is also significant. For most black Floridians listed in the collection, this is the earliest instance of their inclusion by their full name on an official state document.

The Jefferson County Freedmen’s Contracts This set of freedmen’s contracts contains handwritten agreements between landowners in Jefferson County and laborers, primarily, African-Americans, who agreed to farm the land in exchange for a share of the crop and the means necessary to live and complete their work.

Early Auto Registrations, 1905-1917 This collection contains Florida’s first automobile registrations, which were recorded by the Florida Department of State between 1905 and 1917. Each registration, which was handwritten in a ledger, indicates the name and post office address of the registrant plus the manufacturer, style, horsepower and factory number of the vehicle. Each entry was dated and assigned a unique registration number, which was sent to the registrant on a certificate.

Florida Immigration Records

Florida, Knights Keys Passenger Lists, 1908-1912 This series contains passenger lists of vessels arriving at Knights Key, Florida, from Havana, Cuba. The arriving aliens were primarily citizens of Canada, Cuba, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, and France; and others were citizens of Sweden, Bulgaria, Portugal, Belgium, Jamaica, Japan, Italy, and Haiti. Many of the aliens were merchants or others traveling on business. There were also Central and South American diplomatic personnel. Some alien arrivals were of African descent. U.S. citizens are also listed from February 7, 1908 to January 23, 1911. Lists for vessels arriving from January 7, 1909 to April 13, 1909 were filmed before vessels arriving February 7, 1908, to July 18, 1908.

Florida Land Records

Spanish Land Grants Collection Dossiers of material submitted to the U.S. government after Florida became a U.S. territory to prove ownership of land granted to individuals and companies by the Spanish Crown. Fully digitized and indexed.

Florida Forts List of colonial forts, trading posts, named camps, redoubts, reservations, general hospitals, national cemeteries, etc., established or erected in the United States from its earliest settlement to 1902.

Civil War Pensions Index Cards Each card gives the soldier’s name, unit, the application number, the certificate number and the state from which the soldier served. In some cases, the soldier’s rank, terms of service, date of death and place of death are given. The index cards refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917. The majority of the records pertain to Civil War veterans, but they also include veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, Indian wars, and World War I.

Florida, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 Confederate service records of soldiers who served in organizations from Florida. The records include a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, Union prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, inspection reports; and the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier’s surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 109,War Department Collection of Confederate Records and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M251. Index courtesy of Fold3.

Florida, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 Union service records of soldiers who served in organizations from Florida. The records include a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, inspection reports; and the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier’s surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 94, Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917 and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M400. Index courtesy of Fold3.

Confederate Soldier & Widow Pension Applications Not just the index; these are the full, page-by-page digitized versions of the applications themselves, including correspondence between applicants and the State Pension Board and completed application forms. Lots of good info on wartime service and marriages. Fully digitized and indexed.

Old Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Home This collection consists of applications for admission to the Florida Old Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Home, including a small amount of supporting documentation attesting to the veracity of the applicant’s claim. Applications provide information about each applicant’s current residence and medical condition as well as their Civil War service, including such information as unit, dates served, and wounds incurred/cause of disability. The records were maintained by the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), Florida Division, which played a key role in the operation of the home in its last years.

World War I Service Cards The World War I Service Cards series consists of a card roster of Floridians who served in the United States Army during World War I from 1917 to 1919. Each soldier has one or two cards giving information on his/her military service, such as name, serial number, residence, place and date of birth, military organizations he/she served in, rank, engagements participated in, wounds or injuries received, dates serving overseas, discharge date, percentage disabled, and additional remarks.

The Native American History of Florida’s Lake Okeechobee BasinThe Lake Okeechobee region contained some of the most sophisticated indigenous cultures that ever existed north of Mexico. Its towns built large earthworks and ponds in the shape of the ceremonial scepters carried by leaders in the Southeastern Ceremonial Mound Culture, but they were built several centuries before the Southeastern Ceremonial Mound Culture appeared elsewhere. Its engineers constructed several hundred miles of canals and raised causeways to interconnect the towns. They even built locks to enable cargo canoes to bypass rapids. Yet despite all this cultural precociousness, so far there is no evidence that the people of South Florida ever practiced large scale agriculture. However, intensive cultivation of raised garden beds in a semi-tropical climate, also a practice of the Mayas, may have produced a far higher percentage of their diet than anthropologists currently presume.

Florida Births and Christenings Name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state of Florida for the years of 1880-1935. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. This set contains 28,301 records. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.

Florida Deaths and Burials Name index to death and burial records from the state of Florida for the years of 1900-1921. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. This set contains 24,800 records. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.

Florida Death Records Name index of Florida death records created by Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics in Jacksonville, Florida for the years of 1877-1939. Microfilm copies of original records are available at the Family History Library and at Family History Centers.

Florida Marriages Name index to marriage records from the state of Florida for the years of 1837-1974. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. This set contains 860,110 records. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.

Florida Genealogy Databases – Subscription May be Required

Ancestry is the largest provider of genealogy data online. The billions of records they provide have advanced genealogy online beyond imagination just a decade ago. The following is but a small sample of what they provide for Florida genealogy at Ancestry. While some of these databases are free, many require a subscription. You can try a 14 day free trial and see if you can find any of your Florida genealogy at Ancestry!